Study on lightweight concrete with coconut shell and kenaf fibre

• Main Author: Tang, Sheng Hui
• Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utar.edu.my/5401/1/Tang_Sheng_Hui_22UEM02685_(1).pdf; http://eprints.utar.edu.my/5401/
• Institution: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

The construction industry has been facing difficulties due to the rising costs of construction materials, but one possible solution is to use lightweight concrete, which can provide more cost-effective options. To make this type of concrete more sustainable and environmentally friendly, the mix can be enriched with coconut shell and kenaf fibre. Coconut shell is a commonly found waste material in Malaysia that can be utilised to create lightweight concrete, while kenaf fibre is abundant and easy to obtain in Malaysia. After conducting a compressive strength test and splitting tensile strength test, it was found that by combining coconut shell and kenaf fibre in the concrete mix, the resulting product can meet the minimum strength and density requirements for structural lightweight concrete which is 17 MPa and below 2000kg/m3 as specified in Eurocode 2. The study's results show that coconut shell is a suitable lightweight aggregate for structural lightweight concrete, and kenaf fibre can enhance the concrete's tensile strength.